Lessons From Teaching Engineering Design in a Summer Camp for High-Ability Students: A Chain Re-Action Research Study

• In Event: 70.065 - Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: 70.065-8 - Action Research in and With the Community

Abstract

Engineering design can be taught using hands-on projects, such as designing and building Rube Goldberg-style machines that complete a task in complex ways. The purpose of this action research study was to investigate the effectiveness of an approach to teaching engineering design in promoting interest in engineering and knowledge of engineering design and to describe curriculum modifications over a two-year period. Thirty-one students attended a summer camp for high-ability students and completed surveys, reflections, and course evaluations. Instructors completed daily reflections. Results indicate that the approach is effective and that curriculum modifications can be informed by practice. Curriculum improvements will continue in an iterative process similar to the engineering design process students used to design and build chain-reaction machines.

Authors

• Nielsen Pereira, Purdue University

• Shawn S Jordan, Arizona State University Polytechnic

• Odesma Onika Dalrymple, Arizona State University